Swiss versus Japanese Watches – by Leslie Chang

For a reasonable sum of money, the ETA 2824 offers a simple yet honest and reliable movement. It has powered countless Swiss watches since the 70’s such as these oldies.

Seiko led the Japanese foray into the world of horology.For
a fraction of a Swiss watch asking price, Seiko offered the 5 basic
functions of a mechanical watch i.e. self-winding, water resistance,
shockproof, day display and date display.Thus, the watch was aptly named Seiko 5 (initially known as ACTUS in Japan) and is highly popular till this very day.Collectors would have noticed that Seiko has had various movements such as 6309 and 7009 through the past decades.Beside the regular Seiko 5, the current 7S36 movement can also be found in Sportsmatic, Diver’s and Rolex look-alike

Given today’s craze for automatic watches, the demand has resulted in
numerous brands queuing for the same movement – the ETA 2824. The
current lead time spans from 6 to 18 months. This trusty movement has
25 jewels. Even to the untrained eye, its looks very traditional and beautifully crafted.

In terms of appearance and complexity, Seiko’s 6R15 is a closer match against the legendary ETA 2824. Like
the Swiss movement, it can be hacked, hand-wound and has an useful
power reserve up to 50 hours. However, 6R15-powered watches are not
widely distributed except in the Japanese domestic market. Its rarity has prompted me to direct import these watches from my source in Japan. In doing so, I’m pleased to witness a steadily growing flow of satisfied customers to my store.

I was earlier interviewed on the subject of Swiss versus Japanese watches by U-Weekly magazine.